New mayor rolls back Chávez speed boost

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - In the last hours of his term Monday Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez hiked the speed limits on Montaño Road leaving incoming Mayor Richard Berry's staff to answer the angry phone calls.

The Berry administration responded Wednesday by dropping the limits 5 mph to where they had been.

KRQE News 13 has learned Chávez issued an order Monday increase the speed limits from 35 mph to 40 mph in some places near the Rio Grande bridge and from 40 mph to 45 mph in others. Chávez's term expired at midnight Monday.

By Tuesday morning the calls were pouring into City Hall and what had just become the office of Mayor Richard Berry.

Berry spokesman Chris Ramirez told News 13 concerned drivers, residents and business owners were upset at the change and wanted to know why it had happened. Berry and his team had no idea the change was happening or the reasons behind it, he added.

Ramirez said they consulted with the Army Corp of Engineers, people in the area and city officials and made the decision hours later to put the speed limit back to where it was. That was complete by Wednesday morning.

Michael Riordan of the city's Municipal Development Office told News 13 they did discover that Montaño has been undergoing a traffic study for the last three years. The study revealed drivers averaged 45 mph although Riordan couldn't say if the study was the reason behind the change.

Ramirez said he doubted Chávez was acting on the study.

"This administration had three years to implement this, and the fact that it happened on last day of the last hour of administration doesn't make sense to us," he said.

When News 13 contacted Chávez he said he was willing to discuss the issue but was about to board a plane. His former spokesperson, Deborah James, called News 13 later in the day to say an increase in speed limits had been discussed for months.

West Side residents had been calling for sometime urging Chavez to increase the speeds, she added.

Chávez decided the traffic study and the push from residents made increasing the speed limits the best decision, so he acted while he still had the power to do so, James said.